


So Many Things We're Not

by Tabithian



Series: Light the Path [1]
Category: Batman (Comics), DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-23
Updated: 2015-07-23
Packaged: 2018-04-10 19:13:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4403933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tabithian/pseuds/Tabithian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They weren't supposed to meet up again until the operation was over, because doing so was considered to be too dangerous, too risky.</p>
            </blockquote>





	So Many Things We're Not

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a prompt from Anon on Tumblr, who wanted to see another Batman/anime AU since I've written a Bleach AU and magical girl AU. Anon suggested a Gundman AU, so. Yes. (I don't know what I'm doing anymore.)
> 
> Vaguely Gundam Wing-ish in that I haven't seen it for years, but love it very much, and also ZERO system-ish things, IDK. /o\

They weren't supposed to meet up again until the operation was over, because doing so was considered to be too dangerous, too risky. 

Bruce has been planning this for years, gathering the people he could trust, shunting Wayne Enterprises money into shell companies and slush funds, training _them_.

The majority of the League' forces are touring the inner colonies for Victory Day, celebrating the battle that had freed the colonies from overbearing rule by letting an even more insidious power take control.

The have a small window of opportunity to secure the colonies in this sector, use them as a forward base of operations.

And yet.

“Jesus, what the hell - “

“One of the League's drones,” Tim snaps, swipes uselessly at the mixture of grease and oil on his cheek. “Lost the targeting systems.”

(Which explains the craters leading up to the crash, the drone moving too fast, too erratically for Tim to get a manual lock on until he closed in on it, let it get a good hit in.)

He lost flight capability and was luckier than the others know because a little more to the left, and the drone's shoulder spike would have gone through the pilot's seat. The drone itself is a twisted mass of cooling slag, Tim managing to destroy it before it could do the same to him, but at a cost.

“Okay, no,” Dick says, watching Tim. “Just no.”

Tim glances at him for a moment, and then looks back at the remains of the Gundam. Half buried and sparking slightly, it's going to take more resources than they have to get it mobile, let alone combat ready. 

He should have triggered the self-destruct the moment he assessed the damage, but. 

Tim carefully doesn't look at Jason, who carefully doesn't look at him.

“You – _No_ ,” Dick says, moving to stand in front of Tim. “You're not doing this.”

And Tim.

Tim looks up at Dick. Dick who pilots a Gundam designed for him, inside and out, while Tim - 

“Asshole's right,” Jason says, a shrug in his voice. “Don't be stupid, Replacement.”

And that's the thing right there, isn't it. 

Tim's - 

The Gundam Tim's been piloting was literally designed for Jason, has been fighting Tim every damn step of the way because it's - 

“Look, I get it,” Jason says, staring at the Gundam Tim killed. “I know I didn't help things, but Replacement - “

“Luthor's bringing the fleet back in seven days, and there's no way we'd stand a chance against them,” Tim says, reasons. “You know we can't get her fixed before then, we don't have the resources.”

Tim knows where they can find a combat ready Gundam, one that's better suited to the operation, that will get the job done, no matter what. 

“Ra's is the reason the League exists!” Dick yells, “You know that, I know you do.”

Of course Tim does, he was there when Ra's explained it to him, assassins lined up at the edges of the room waiting for Tim to make a wrong move.

He was there when Ra's lamented what had become of his beloved League. Created so long ago and filled with brilliant, ambitious people who were meant to humanity to its future, only to slowly begin to rot from within, decay and corruption taking root.

Ra's faking his own death, working to destroy the League from the shadows, assassinations political and a little more literal. 

And.

“Bruce is counting on us,” Tim says, so, so quiet.

Bruce and Clark and all the others in the League who are working to bring it down from the inside, political manipulations and fragile alliances.

“Yeah,” Jason says, pushes forward. “So what? You think he'd want you to do this? We already lost Damian.“

“No,” Tim says, doesn't look at either of them. “I. He's.”

Damian's not dead.

He can't look up.

“Tim.”

Jason's forced to pilot a Gundam that was meant to drive him mad, to take his mind and _twist_ , bring out the worst in him and aim it at his enemies. (Tim has the scars to show for it's effectiveness.)

Barbara's modifications help, allow Jason to retain control while he pilots it, but the strain is taking its toll on him and Tim knows he isn't the only one who can see it.

“For fuck's sake,” Jason growls, punches Tim's shoulder, knocking him back. “You're supposed to be the smart one, you little shit!”

Tim looks up then, laughs, but there's nothing amused about it, no joy, no happiness. “This is the smart thing.” Tim says, raises his chin. “Damian's still alive.”

Alive and in the hands of the enemy, along with his Gundam.

It's an old argument, begun the day the transport Damian and his Gundam were on vanished, presumed destroyed by League forces, but Tim.

There are whispers, rumors, and part of Tim's job is to listen.

“Jesus Christ,” Jason says, and walks away, hands clenched into fists at his side.

“Tim, you can't know that for certain.”

And there's Dick, trying to do what he thinks is the right thing when they can't afford that, not now. Not when they finally have a chance to strike back, regain everything the League took from them.

“We're at war,” Tim says. “Don't tell me you don't know that.”

The press insists they're nothing but a terrorist group, but it's more than that. _They're_ more than that.

“And what does that make you?” Dick asks, tired, weary. 

_An acceptable loss_ , Tim thinks, but doesn't say.

Dick hears it all the same.

********

It's a simple thing, in the end. 

A Gundam pilot for a Gundam pilot, because Ra's doesn't care if this operation of Bruce's succeeds, doesn't care if the League crushes them.

Doesn't care if his grandson joins Bruce's war, fights and fights and fights against the League, or if he remains a prisoner, locked away where no one will think to look for him.

Ra's has _plans_ , ones that have a longer reach than anyone else realizes. He intends to start over, start again, and for that he needs the right people, and for some reason, he thinks Tim is one of them.

Damian's a pawn in this, and doesn't know it.

He glares at Tim, when Ra's assassins lead him into the room, bares his teeth.

Tim's gaze slide over him, and lands on Ra's.

“You remember the offer you made me?”

A message, delivered by one of Ra's assassins when Tim finished the first leg of his trip to the outer colonies. A video recording and Ra's voice, smooth and smug and so very certain Tim would accept. 

“ _Drake._ ”

And he has, because there is Bruce to consider, and his plans. Bruce and Dick and Jason and Damian, all the others who fight alongside Bruce in their own ways.

But, and this is the thing Ra's thinks he knows, there is also _Tim_ to consider.

Tim who piloted a Gundam that was never his to claim, who'd fought so hard for a place with the others and never quite made it. (Tim who did all that because he believed in what Bruce was doing, what he was trying to achieve.)

Ra's smiles, like a man who believes he's won. “Oh, my dear Timothy, I do indeed.”

********

Watching the battle from Ra's command center, the man standing beside him, smug in his superiority, Tim wonders if Ra's even realizes he's making the same mistakes.

He trained Bruce, after all, and now he intends to train Tim. (And oh, the things Tim will do with what he's taught. How to topple kingdoms and burn down empires, oh, yes, the things he'll do.)


End file.
